Black currant plant named ‘Stikine’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of black currant (i.e. Ribes nigrum L.) is provided. Appealing flavor, long upright shoots, multiple racemes per bud, large fruits size and frost hardiness characterize the plant. The mid-season is ideal for North American markets due to the flavor, frost hardiness, and high yields.

Genus and species: A new and distinct cultivar of black currant (i.e. Ribes nigrum L.) is provided.

Variety denomination: The variety denomination is ‘Stikine’.

BACKGROUND OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The new black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) cultivar, was created as part of the planned crossbreeding program beginning in 1998. in Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada. The new cross was completed in 2005 and selected for further field trials in 2008. The female (seed) parent used was ‘Zusha’ (‘Minaj Shmyrev’ x ‘Ershistaya’) and the male (pollen) parent used was ‘Titania’ (‘Altaskaya Dessertnaya’ x [‘Consort’ x ‘Kayaanin’]), defined as ‘Zusha’ x ‘Titania’. ‘Titania’ is the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,439 granted Jul. 11, 2000. The patent status of ‘Zusha’ is unknown.

‘Stikine’ is the product of a 2001 cross between ‘Zusha’ as seed parent and ‘Titania’ as pollen parent. It was necessary to time the flowering as ‘Zusha’ flowers 7-10 days prior to ‘Titania’. We used a cooler to delay flowering in ‘Zusha’.

The crosses were made in a greenhouse to avoid losses due to frost. Pollen was extracted from anthers, using forceps. The anthers were placed under a heat lamp overnight. After removing the anthers from the seed parent with forceps, and with a separate set of forceps and with the aid of a magnifying visor, pollen was applied to each pistil. The pollinated flowers were covered with a bag for two weeks.

Seeds were collected from the pollinated flowers and stored in a cool place until they were planted in seed trays. The seeds were germinated in the greenhouse. Seedlings were screened for symptoms of White pine blister rust before selection. The plants were grown out for two years. Each year each plant was examined for symptoms of white pine blister rust. In 2011, each plant was evaluated for yield potential, growth habit, resistance to powdery mildew fruit size.

Trials were replicated in the following locations in Canada:

-   -   Courtenay, British Columbia     -   West Saanich, British Columbia     -   Chilliwack, British Columbia

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The new cultivar is distinguished from other varieties by the following characteristics:

-   -   a. Outstanding flavor profile—the pleasant flavor expressed in         the fruit of the plant is characterized by the ‘Minaj Shmyrev’         lineage and more fitting for the North American market than         traditional black currant flavors.     -   b. High yields—the multiple racemes per bud and number of buds         per shoot lend this variety to high flower and fruit counts per         plant (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). In replicated trials in Chilliwack,         BC, the variety yielded on average 8.36 pounds of fruit per         plant in comparison to Titania, which yielded 0.73 pounds on         average per plant.     -   c. Even ripening—the mid-season variety, fully cropping a few         days before ‘Titania’, displays even onset of ripening ideal for         onetime harvesting of fruit in a commercial setting (FIG. 2).     -   d. Fruit size—the variety has large fruit even in comparison to         other large fruit varieties such as ‘Titania’. The average         single berry weight for the cultivar is 0.046 ounces compared to         0.035 ounces for ‘Titania’. Similarly the fifty-berry weight is         2.3 ounces compared to 1.7 ounces for ‘Titania’ on average.     -   e. Frost tolerance—the fruit of the plant has tolerance to frost         as characterized by the Russian plant parent ‘Zusha’ during         flowering in comparison to ‘Titania’.     -   f. Disease resistance—Compared with plant parent ‘Titania’,         ‘Stikine’ is more tolerant of cold conditions at time of         flowering; has more upright growth habit, higher yields,         somewhat larger fruit and outstanding flavor profile. Compared         with plant parent ‘Zusha’, ‘Stikine’ flowers 7-9 days later.     -   g. Compared with ‘Ben Lomond’, ‘Ben Alder’ and ‘Ben Tirran’,         ‘Stikine’ is highly resistant to white pine blister rust as is         its paternal parent ‘Titania’. The cultivar of interest has been         asexually reproduced from hardwood cuttings in Courtenay, BC         Canada. The area where the plant was discovered is the Comox         Valley, BC which has mild weather conditions during most         seasons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The appended photographs demonstrate typical specimens of the new cultivar in color and relative size as true as is reasonably possible.

FIG. 1. Demonstration of overall raceme/flower frequency and distribution of plant located in Saanich, Canada and at an age of 3 years.

FIG. 2. Demonstration of fruit color, even ripeness, yield, and distribution of plant located in Saanich, Canada and at an age of 3 years.

FIG. 3. Demonstration of bud size, shape, color, and spacing of plant located in Saanich, Canada and at an age of 3 years.

FIG. 4. Demonstration of leaf shape and relative size of new variety (right image) to ‘Titania’ (left image) of plant located in Courtney, Canada and at an age of 3 years. Color is not accurately represented in image due to technology limitations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Description of the Cultivar

The following is a detailed description of 3 year old plants of the new variety as observed at the trial location in Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. Colors referenced are described and notated using the Munsell® Color Charts for Plant Tissue standards.

-   Plant:     -   -   Growth habit.—Long, upright branches spread at time of             fruiting due to crop weight making the growth habit high,             round.         -   Dimensions.—Average plant height is 50 inches tall and 28             inches in diameter.         -   Basal shoots.—4 to 6 (without pruning)); average length of             40 inches and diameter of 0.5 inches. Mottled colored             varying between 5 YR 8/2 and 5 YR 5/2 on the Munsell color             chart, with medium roughness.         -   Vigor.—Strong, sturdy shoots usually erect except in             over-productive seasons where fruit weight spreads the             shoots. Shoots not so brittle as to break under weight.         -   Roots.—Fibrous. -   Leaf buds:     -   -   Bud frequency.—19 buds per stem on average.         -   Bud coloration.—5 R 5/8.         -   Bud appearance.—Broad acute bud apex, 0.5 inches in length             and 0.1 inches in diameter on average.         -   Bud burst.—Mar. 23, 2015. -   Leaves:     -   -   Leaf coloration.—Upper Leaf GY 6/10; lower leaf 7.5 GY 8/6.         -   Leaf appearance.—Medium to weak glossiness on the upper side             and no glossiness on the underside, palmatifid lobed leaf             that is cordate in shape at the base and acute at the tip.             Leaf margins are serrate.         -   Leaf texture.—Smooth but rugose.         -   Leaf venation.—Dichotomous 7.5 GY 8/8.         -   Leaf configuration.—In comparison to ‘Titania’ the base of             the leaf is narrower. The terminal lobe is smaller and the             rugosity is comparable in severity. See FIG. 4.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternating pattern; between 18 per stem             on average.         -   Leaf size.—2.76 inches long and 2.90 inches wide on average.         -   Petiole stem coloration.—GY 7/8. -   Bract:     -   -   Bract coloration.—2.5 GY 8/6 (all surfaces).         -   Bract appearance.—0.04 inches in length, simple overall             structure with entire margins, acute tip and a clasping             base.         -   Bract texture.—Smooth (all surfaces). -   Flower bud:     -   -   Bud appearance.—Narrow acute apex, 0.55 inches in length and             0.2 inches in diameter.         -   Bud coloration.—7.5 GY 8/4. -   Flowers:     -   -   Bud color.—5R 5/8.         -   Flowering date.—Apr. 25, 2015 Flowering period — April 25             through May 9.         -   Flower coloration.—5RP 6/10.         -   Flower appearance.—0.5 inches in length and 0.3 inches in             diameter, the flowers are bell-shaped to funnel-shaped when             in full bloom.         -   Flower racemes.—Long, several per node, frequent.         -   Flower frequency.—Consistently several racemes per bud with             8-12 flowers per raceme.         -   Petal frequency.—5 per flower.         -   Petal appearance.—Linear shape, rounded apex, entire             margins, sessile base. 0.3 inches in length and 0.1 inches             in diameter, neither surface is waxy, but smooth.         -   Petal texture.—Slightly downy (both surfaces).         -   Sepal to petal frequency.—1 sepal to 1 petal.         -   Sepal appearance.—Linear shape, rounded apex, entire             margins, sessile base. 0.55 inches in length and 0.1 inches             in diameter, neither surface is waxy, but smooth.         -   Sepal coloration.—5 R 5/8.         -   Anther appearance.—5 Y 8/8.         -   Ovary appearance.—2.5 GY 8/8.         -   Pedicle appearance.—10 R 7/4, 0.3 inches in length.         -   Peduncle appearance.—10 R 7/4, 1.6 inches in length. -   Fruit:     -   -   Size.—Large sized fruit (notably larger than ‘Ben Alder’ and             large in comparison to ‘Titania’.) The average single berry             weight is 0.046 ounces.         -   Taste.—Pleasant, sweet, unique, mildly acidic palatable             taste.         -   Configuration.—Round.         -   Consistency.—Firm, medium skin thickness, smooth texture,             and minimal waxiness.         -   Appearance.—Medium glossiness, black when ripe 5 RP 3/2.             Attractive and presented in dense sections with uniform             berry size and color within a section. See FIG. 2.         -   Fruit ripening.—Even.         -   Yields.—Multiple racemes per bud, high number of buds per             shoot (thus high flower and fruit counts). Yields on average             8.36 pounds of fruit per plant. Approximately 22 berries per             cluster.         -   Management and harvesting.—The variety is suited for             machine-harvest as evident by the upright growth and even             ripening of fruit. Additionally, the plants are suitable for             hand-harvest with the large, firm fruit and multiple tight             racemes per bud for quick harvest of many fruit.         -   Management and harvesting.—Suitable for machine harvest due             to even ripening and growth habit. Also suitable for hand             picking due to easy to pick groups of berries (racemes).         -   Market.—Marketable for both commercial and domestic             production due to the flexibility in harvest methods (hand             or machine). The sweeter, less acidic taste lends itself for             consumption by the North American market both in fresh fruit             and processed form. Frost hardiness, white pine blister rust             immunity, and mildew resistance allow for robust growing             conditions. -   Disease and pest resistance: The cultivar is immune to white pine     blister rust (Cronartium ribicola Fisch.) in British Columbia (a     characteristic of parent plant, ‘Titania’). The cultivar is     resistant to powdery mildew and Septoria leaf spot (Septoria ribis     Desm.) -   Resistance to cold: Flowers display frost hardiness compared to its     parent plant, ‘Titania’. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Black Currant plant as illustrated and described. 